Fandom Tennis Match

[hungrytiger11]

Fandom Tennis Match Meme:

Okay, here's how this is going to work. You comment with a fandom question. I answer it and then ask you a question that has some thematic relevance to the question you asked me.

Comments

[weisquared]

What determines which fandoms you get into? (Do you feel like reading/writing fic for any books/shows/etc you like, or is there some characteristic in common between the ones you get into and the ones you like the canon for but have no interest in fandom?

[hungrytiger11]

So, I know there’s episode discussions, icons, meta, vids, fanart, web comics and more, but first and foremost, there needs to be fic if I’m in a fandom. Its not entirely how I engage in fandom, but it is mostly how I do. So, whether I get into a fandom means it matters whether I want to know what happens to the characters. It also matters whether I think there could or should be more to be said about what happens to the characters. I don’t need fic to know Cinderella and Prince Charming will rule the kingdom one day. I’m happy for them, but don’t need story about it. Conversely, It also matters whether I feel I would enjoy reading what people other than the author(s)/original creator(s) would do with the canon material. Sometimes, I might just think the quality of fic in a fandom isn’t good, or that a particular canon or character is just not something to be messed with by others (for example, I love Sharon Shinn’s Samaria series, but its one of a few canon materials that I wouldn’t want people to re-envision. Another example is

[hungrytiger11]

I forgot your question!

Which is - Are there some canons (books, movies,music) that you enjoy that you know have a fandom but that you aren't fannish about? Why?

[weisquared]

You bring up a good point about TV shows. I think the difference is that the majority of TV shows I can think of are ones where "Status Quo is God" - their episodes are meant to be able to stand alone, and there's little-to-no plot movement in a given episode. I don't think it's a ratings thing though, but more of a result of it being important to be able to air re-runs without worrying about order (iirc, anime tends not to get reruns the same way American sit coms do

[ishime]

Not sure whether this qualifies as a fandom question but. Are there some mindsets, opinions, etc you have a hard time impersonating when you write a character who thinks that way?

[hungrytiger11]

I have characters I have a hard time getting a handle on (for example- I'm struggling with Gaara at the moment), but opinions....?

There are some situations I might have a hard time with, but have never written so I don't know for sure... homosexual relationships, and some forms of abuse are two that come to mind. Because they are things that matter because they are part of either a culture and/or identity, for the former and a part of someone's past in the latter. I don't want to trivialize or misrepresent either. I think I would be mad at someone taking on writing about a women and how that's part of her identity and....messing it up or not thinking about it etc. I'm not saying that one must be a woman to write about being a woman, or gay to write about being LGBTQ, or Indian to write about being Indian or having a history of being abused to write about. Just that I, myself, would worry too much about it being on target for it to be a good piece of writing

[ishime]

Yeah, there are!
Well, I have trouble with most of the bad guys I like because I tend to write them as less mean than they would appear in canon (I empathize with them, so I give them valid reasons to act mean or selfish), or even somewhat emo (definitely guilty of that one, uh >__I have trouble with female characters in general. I'm a tomboy myself, and I completely lack understanding of some bits of the "being feminine" stuff, or how it can be empowering. It makes me nervous when I'm writing a feminine chick - I'm afraid I'll either butcher her feminine side or write her as more tomboyish than she is. Ino is a good example, especially since fandom tends to write her as empowered by her feminine side

[hungrytiger11]

I empathize with them, so I give them valid reasons to act mean or selfish)

I think that's probably a good thing, actually. I mean... there are really awful people in the world (and hence really awful characters in stories), but- with the possibly exception of sociopaths or psychopaths- they still have reasons for doing what they do. They might not be what most people consider good reasons and definitley not usually ones that validate their actions, but, as a writer, you are getting into their heads. That makes for a more compelling story to read, imho.

[hungrytiger11]

Hmmm, well I don't normally associate music with characters (or name things after them.)... I do have two songlists on my ipod- one named NejiHina and one named Shikaino. I specifically went looking for music for them, and now have a hard time associating some of the songs with anything else.

And I did get my boyfriend into Dr. Who just so I could have someone nearby to have dorky conversations with...

Do you listen to music when writing? What can get you into the mood to write?